Goodell expects Dolphins case to change NFL workplace rules

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 14, 2013, 7:50 AM EST

AP

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he’s withholding judgment on the Dolphins bullying case until investigator Ted Wells completes his report. But Goodell expects the league to implement new rules this offseason.

Asked about the case that led Jonathan Martin to leave the Dolphins and Richie Incognito to be suspended, Goodell said the league is looking at changes to the environment in NFL workplaces.

And right there is one of the biggest problems in America. Out of the 1600 plus NFL player THIS YEAR, we have one instance where something went too far and someones feelings were hurt. Now we have to change the way everything is done because it would be a shame if someone else’s feelings got hurt. Pathetic.

wryly1 says:Dec 14, 2013 9:03 AM

We as fans appreciate football is a tough, physical, violent sport. It is also true that college and NFL football players are among the most protected and pampered athletes in the world – and have been since they were kids. Despite their protestations they should be exempted from workplace labor laws, rules and standards that apply to every other workplace in America, there is no valid reason for that to be the case.

DonRSD says:Dec 14, 2013 9:04 AM

Martin is soft. He should’ve stuck up for himself.
Basically instead of “throwing down”, he backed off.
Sometimes you gotta fight for your respect. I imagine he knew he would get beat down and this ran away with his ball.

wryly1:
ite their protestations they should be exempted from workplace labor laws, rules and standards that apply to every other workplace in America, there is no valid reason for that to be the case.
————-

This has nothing to do with “labor laws, rules and standards.” It is about one guy getting his feelings hurt–a guy who was seen as soft since his pre-draft days. Now Goodell gets to do what he does best…blow everything out of proportion and make new, stupid rules that further hurt and change the sport.

skleech22 says:Dec 14, 2013 9:35 AM

Roger,
Why don’t you sweep this under the rug like Spygate? I forgot Robert Kraft OWNS you!

osiris33 says:Dec 14, 2013 9:56 AM

Liberals and lawyers; Destroying the United States one industry at a time.

FinFan68 says:Dec 14, 2013 10:00 AM

I can understand if they feel they need to clarify something but to outright change things throughout the league because one punk’s feelings got hurt is asinine. Maybe some things got carried away but it seems to me that Martin had an agenda and this was the easiest way to see it through. Right now he is receiving 100% pay for zero work or contribution. If anything needs to change it’s that.

clownsfan says:Dec 14, 2013 10:05 AM

This guy needs to focus on clarifying league rules so his officiating crew can stop blowing the whistle every 30 sec on non-calls. Worst season of officiating I’ve seen in the 30+ years of watching NFL.

wryly1 says:Dec 14, 2013 10:06 AM

mancave001:

Have to disagree. At core, this a black and white prima facie case of bullying. Matters nada whether it occurred at the public library, the grocery store, in an office, or a football locker room.

harrisonhits2 says:Dec 14, 2013 10:46 AM

“We want him to be thorough and not to compromise in any way,” Goodell said. “When it’s complete, he’ll present it to me, and I have not given him any deadline.”

In other words, “we want Wells to take as much time as he needs to twist this in a way that gives the Dolphins and the league zero liability.

FinFan68 says:Dec 14, 2013 10:53 AM

wryly1 says:
Dec 14, 2013 10:06 AM
mancave001:

Have to disagree. At core, this a black and white prima facie case of bullying. Matters nada whether it occurred at the public library, the grocery store, in an office, or a football locker room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
No it is not. According to the government site against bullying, bullying occurs with “school-aged children”. These are grown men. Also, if you look at the definition, everything an NFL lineman does on the job can be classified as bullying. Martin’s surrogates brought this forward as bullying because it would gain traction that way. If you look back, when Martin left the team it was “harassment” causing mental anguish that needed clinical treatment. Bullying came a couple days later (as the trial of the teenage girls in central Florida started getting national attention). It has been a major media manipulation with excerpts and half-truths. The media and public took it and ran. They had their villain in Incognito and a story they could exploit.

What this really is about is a guy that was failing at his job and couldn’t handle personal failure. Being replaced by McKinnie was the catalyst. He wanted out but he still wanted all that money. This story was conjured in order to see that through. There are elements of truth in Martin’s story but they are not to the level that Martin’s camp presented the information. Now, they stopped cooperating with the investigation. Why? Because the questions being asked could hurt their chances at getting/keeping the money via lawsuit or through the Dolphins settling.

NFL clubs have a fraternity type of atmosphere, which due to the nature of the beast, guys going out & physically battling together makes it unique to your average profession. There is a certain camaraderie that had to be present in order to be successful as a team. That requires roughing it out with one another. Sometimes in life you have to Man Up in order to get the Respect you deserve. Hazing over the line should be stopped, but other than that any lawyering that tries to overly liberalize and wussify the sport will make us all losers. Being overly dependent on the law to resolve things or get what you want is a recipe for a weak mind, people & country… But isn’t that the whole point… Martin comes from lawyer parents. This was an inevitable outcome at this stage of his life….

anrockray says:Dec 14, 2013 11:15 AM

So I guess football players are expected to enter their primary workplace arena, the field, and in order to simply KEEP their jobs, conduct themselves in a manner that would be considered criminal in any other work environment, and then walk 20 yards into a lockerroom and become choir boys…how hypocritical can the NFL be?

I suggest adding a Counseling Coordinator and seven assistant counseling coordinators to each NFL team so players will have sensitive and kind listeners with whom they can discuss the many feelings and emotional issues that come as a result of yelling from coaches and hazing from fellow players.

The additions of these coordinator could be funded directly from billionaire owner profits, though most likely the NFL will allow the owners to tack another $1.25 on each warm beer sold in the stadiums funded by taxpayer money.

Surely this proposal will give us a kinder and gentler NFL.

beachsidejames says:Dec 14, 2013 12:42 PM

Goodell didn’t blow this out of purportion the media did. ESPN, Forio, Boomer (not Esiason). Goodell hasn’t done anything yet. Martin has been crying to every lawyer relative he has from coast to coast. Goodell has no choice except maybe to sue Martin back for the fraud he trying to pull and the con man that he is. The rules for next year are just talk now but would be in place to protect the league from losers like Martin.

osiris33 says:Dec 14, 2013 8:59 PM

Goodell’s agenda is to feminize the NFL to get more women to watch. This is part of that.

Roger is withholding judgement until the investigation is complete? He didn’t have trouble passing judgement last year when the Saints were accused of running a bounty program. In fact, he had tried, convicted, heard the appeal, and sentenced the entire organization before Tagliabue stepped in to save his sorry behind. It gladdens the hearts of football fans everywhere to know that this time he is withholding judgement until the investigation is complete.